Thanks to the Gladding's back at UCA, I discovered memverse.com, a great tool for memorizing Scripture. I've been spending about twenty minutes there each morning and it's been fantastic for my devotional life.
One passage I've been memorizing is John 3:1-21. I memorized it back in high school for my senior Bible class taught by Mark Janke. I chose it by accident, thinking I had written down John 1. But I didn't and Janke encouraged me to stick with the passage because he said it it one of the most clear presentations of the gospel message. I agree and am glad I stuck with it. Anyways, I thought I would relearn this important passage of Scripture...
I've been spending each day with this passage for the past ten day. It was starting to get boring (just shows I was reading it wrong), but this morning I read it from my Bible slowly, without focusing on memorization, and it came alive.
I think that Nicodemus is one of the most relatable of Biblical individuals to modern-day Christians. Here, we have a sincere leader of the Jews recognizing Jesus' obvious call and God's presence within (v. 2). He's a Pharisee, so he's obviously a recognized scholar. He craves knowledge. He wants to know more about this special individual sent to earth. However, his colleagues despise and fear Jesus and he himself is leery to commit to someone preaching such blasphemy (Jesus had just talked of temple destruction and a quick rebuilding project - 2:19). So, he comes by night.
Jesus realizes Nicodemus' intentions, that he wants to know without action, without belief. Nicodemus begins the discussion but Jesus immediately takes control, saying we must all be born again, "from above" (v. 3). Because once we submit to God, He will change us, and guide us in a way as unseen as the wind (v. 8). Again, Jesus points out that Nicodemus wants to simply know more about Jesus and not submit, so he asks Nicodemus "how can you believe if I tell you about earthly things" (v. 12)? He continues (and I summarize) that only the Son of Man has been to heaven and He is here to save the world, to save all who believe. Don't be the version of yourself unwilling to believe so that you might be lost. Avoid judgment, come into the light, "so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God" (v. 21).
God wants our submission. He wants to change us, to make us the best possible versions of ourselves. We need to crave more than knowledge. Too often, I have found myself like Nicodemus, coming to God alone by night wanting to know more about God and unwilling to truly let God guide me. That's been getting better, but it requires active submission. From me. From you. From our church. From all of us.
Nicodemus' story doesn't end here. He's mentioned again in John 7:50 encouraging the Pharisees to publicly question Jesus through a hearing rather than a private arrest. And in John 19:38-40, he and Joseph of Arimathea helped with the burial of Jesus. I wish there was more, a detailed biography perhaps. But I'm glad that Nicodemus' story doesn't end there. He chose to continue learning about Jesus and show Him respect. I hope the belief came and suspect it did. That's a direction I want to continue relating. Nicodemus, my homeboy...
